Financing · Updated June 2026
Go solar your way.
No-credit-check prepaid, $0-down PPA, or cash — pick the path that fits your home and budget.
No credit check
No credit? No problem.
A no-credit-check plan that still captures ~30% federal value — prepay once or use a monthly loan, with a path to eventual ownership.
Best if: Your credit is thin or rebuilding, or you prefer to skip a traditional lender.
- No credit check, no lender
- Monthly loans available
- ~30% §48E captured
- ~20% average ROI in year 1 (est.)
- ~35% ROI anticipated over 25 yrs (est.)
- –Not owned day one — ownership comes later
- –Fewer providers / terms than a loan
- –ROI figures assume avg utility rates escalating ~5%/yr — estimates, not a guarantee
PPA · $0 down
Solar with nothing down.
One $0-down PPA path, three trusted providers — GoodLeap, ENFIN, and LightReach by Palmetto. The provider owns, monitors, and maintains the system; you pay a predictable rate that beats the utility.
Best if: You want nothing out of pocket, zero maintenance, and savings from month one.
- $0 down — nothing out of pocket
- Average monthly savings of 10%–50% off utility bills in year 1 (typical range, illustrative)
- Zero maintenance — provider owns + monitors
- ~30% §48E passed into your rate
- Three providers: GoodLeap, ENFIN (Santander / Qcells), LightReach by Palmetto
- –You don't own the system
- –Optional escalator can raise payments
- –Home sale needs buyer assumption or buyout
- –Savings are estimates — individual results vary, not a guarantee
Own it outright
Pay once. Own forever.
The lowest lifetime cost and the highest long-term return — no payments, no interest, and a 6–8 year average ROI window (estimate).
Best if: You have the cash and want maximum lifetime savings.
- Lowest total cost
- Biggest bill savings
- Adds home value
- No lender, no fees
- ~15% average ROI in year 1 · ~25% anticipated over 25 yrs (est.)
- –Largest upfront outlay
- –No federal 25D credit for buyers in 2026
- –ROI figures assume avg utility rates escalating ~5%/yr — estimates, not a guarantee
Compare all three
At a glance
A no-credit-check plan, a $0-down PPA with three providers, and cash — the honest trade-offs, side by side.
Step 1 · Your bill
Keep paying the utility, and your $250/mo becomes
~$143,000
over the next 25 years, if rates rise ~5%/yr — estimate, not a guarantee
That's $3,000 in the next 12 months alone, at today's rate.
Every path below converts part of that spend into savings or ownership.
Step 2 · What matters most to you?
Pick a priority above and we'll match you to one of the three paths — Participate Energy, a $0-down PPA, or cash.
We'll build you a precise, itemized proposal at no cost.
*Savings and ROI figures are owner-provided projections that assume average utility rates escalating ~5% annually. Estimates only — individual results vary; not a guarantee.
Illustrative; terms vary by credit, system size, and provider. Updated June 2026 — confirm current terms with your OC Solar advisor.
Dollar figures above are simple arithmetic on the bill you set: PPA savings = 10–50% of your bill (year 1); 25-year utility spend = your bill × 12 × 25 years of ~5% annual increases. No system prices are estimated here.
The honest 2026 picture
What 2026 actually means for incentives
Federal · 25D expired
The 30% federal credit for systems you BUY ended Dec 31, 2025. It no longer applies to cash or loan purchases completed in 2026.
As of June 2026
Federal · §48E pass-through
Lease, PPA, and prepaid plans can still pass ~30% into your rate via the §48E commercial credit — available through 2027.
As of June 2026
California · SB 710
California excludes your solar system from added property tax. SB 710 locks this in permanently for systems qualifying before Jan 1, 2027.
As of June 2026
California · NEM 3.0
Daytime exports earn low avoided-cost rates. A battery is what makes the economics work by shifting energy to the expensive evening.
As of June 2026
Want the ~30% federal value without a loan or a tax bill? See how the prepaid plan captures the §48E pass-through →
This page is general information, not tax or financial advice. Incentive eligibility depends on your situation and current law — confirm with a tax professional and your OC Solar advisor before signing.
Refer & earn
Refer a friend.
Know someone tired of rising utility bills? Send them our way. When your friend or family member goes solar with OC Solar, we'll thank you with $500.
- 1
Send their info
Share your friend's name and a way to reach them — takes a minute.
- 2
They go solar
We design, install, and power on their system, start to finish.
- 3
You get $500
Paid after their system is installed. Refer as many as you like.
Or call 949-427-8817 to refer someone. Terms apply.
Financing questions
Straight answers on paying for solar
No. The federal residential credit (IRC §25D) for systems you buy with cash or a loan expired December 31, 2025. The 30% value now lives only in $0-down lease and PPA plans, where the provider claims the commercial §48E credit and passes it into a lower rate, available through about 2027.
See your number in seconds.
Tell us your address — we'll design your system and show you every way to pay for it.